Circuit-controller.



A. BEVN.

CIRCUIT CONTRLLER. APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1967..

Patente@ oen. 13,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.A

y/mm @naar attenua/3 A. BBVAN.

CIRCUIT ONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILBDSEPT. 16, :am

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

llNiTED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

ALEXANDER BEVAN, Ol" IROYIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CIRCUIT-COTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.'

i Application filed September 16, 1907. Serial No. 393,005.

provide a reliable-and eil'ective circuit controller of simple and durable construction for use primarily in operating electric railway signals, and of suchn design as to be readily adaptable -foruse either to control asingle circuit, orto control two'sepa'rate circuits. 'l

,To this end the device consists essentially of a centrallylocated actuating lever, with a suitably 'controlled circuit closer on either side of the saine, each circuit closer being arranged to be ,operated independently to bridge one of two pairs of terminals accord-v ing to wliicliway the lever is moved.

With this"l arrangement the circuit controller mayl be used' to control two distinct and separate circuits according as the actuating lever is'- moved in one direction or the other, or by' electrically' connecting one of the terminals in one of the circuits with the corresponding terminal in the other circuit the same circuit may be controlled whichever -way' the lever moved, or'still `further, by

omittinor one ofthe duplicate sets of circuit closers but one circuit can be operated, and that only when the lever is moved in a given direction; hence `this circuit controller can be readily adapted for use on the turnouts or sidinvs where the cars may be made to operate t ie saine goin(lr always in the saine. direction, or it is equall2 well suited for use on the main line where t 1e cars going in one directioii'will operate'to set the signals, and going in theother direction will .operate to .clear the signals; z Circuit, controllers of this class have heretofore proved fairly satisfactoryionly when operated at slow .or moderate speeds, but have uniformly proved unreliable when operated for any considerable length of time at high rates of speed. The chief causes of failure .to meet -the requirements under these conditions `have beenp-firslt, the occasional rebound of the-,actuating lever atterbeing struck'by the `rapidly moving trolley wheel,

thus closing a second circuit on the opposite side; second, lack of durability, owing to the Y Severe blows and strains to'wliich the working parts are subjected; and third, the

throwing of the trolley wheel from the wire.-

The device herein described is designed to overcome these defects, and-includes as its Working elements a central actuating lever,

-two pairs of insulated terminals, two insulated circuit closers for bridging said pairs ot' terminals, two inertia bumpers to absorb the momentum of the actuating lever and prevent rebound, a centrally located magnet to arrest -tlie return motion of the lever when it reaches the normal or vertical position, and mean'sfor maintaining the circuit closed for a sufficient length of time/to insure adequate operation of the signals.'

It is thought tliattlie two features of absorbing the forward motion and magnetically arresting the return motion of the ac-v tuating lever are entirely novel, as well as the method of controlling the circuit closer.

These and other features are illustrated inV the accompanying drawings, and will be fully described and explained in thel'ollowing specifications, and then pointedv out in,

the appended claims.

Lilie characters designate correspondingr parts in all the views.

Figure it-is a side elevation with some of the parts in section to better illustrate the operation ofthe mechanism. Fig. -is an end elevation showing the casing and part of the frame in section. Fig. ll-is a. pci-spect'ive lview showing the underside of the inertia bumper. Fig. -l-is a perspective view of the contact arm. Fig. -is adiagrammatic view showing the wiring of the circuit closer.

Referring to the dra-wings, at l isa suitable 'buse \\'liicli.scr vcs as a support for all the `working parts, said base being mounted 'on or connected to the trolley wire in any suitable inanner. Sus )ended midway ot' thc base on an axis 3 is-ilie actuating lever. which consists of the pendant or power-arm and two side or load-arins4 and 5. The lower end of 'this lever is forked 'to straddle the trolley wiie 6, cach loail-arni consisting prcl'erably of a pair of projecting lugs between which a contact roller Z is inou'iitcd. although each loatl-ain'i may consist of a single projecting arm, omitting the roller.

(ln the sides of thebase l arc the upright standards S-S which forni the sup- ,ports l'or the air-clianibers and checking niagnet hereinafter described.A livotally mounti tension o said sp ed at 9 and 1'0 Yor'reitherside of the actuating i lever are two pairs of knee-levers 11 and 12,

each pair-of levers being ]oined toetlier by a connecting bar-and loperatively rev ated to itscorresponding 'load-'arm' f4 or 55; Swinging pendants 1'3' and.14 are pivotally hung fromsaid pairs of knee-levers -to'nornially 4rest in.

f ffco'nt'act with' theirrespective rolls '7. Be-

tween the upward extensions ofboth pairs of knee-levers -11 and'j12'fare secured' blocks of insulating. material 15 -and"16, 4whichblocks fone end toi each o carry the spring circuit closersfl? ar'il 18...

Two-pairs of spring terminals. lil- 2.0, and

21,-22a1'e mounted on the insulating su --1 ports 23 and 2A4etween' which 'tenninals 't e saidicircuitlcloscns arethrown to close one orf L the other V'of the. slgnal circuits each. 'time the actuating lever i's operated by a passing'car.

Aspira'l rester' s ring 25 is attached at the vframe,:. the function of these springs being to withdrawv thel-:circuit-clser 'from betweenso Ychosen that when t ecircuit closer' has reached-'its limit of vfol-'ward motion the movable point 27 and the fixed point' 26 will be on @Epos-ite sidesof the 9, and the heel 0f'- so 1t backwardand downward causing. the spring e insulating block l will have been moved 25 .to assume' a bentlpositionin aline below the-center of the pivoting point; as shown .at

storing actionf vy-said spring even when the -partcf return movement, thus allowing -suflicient time inwhich to-operate the signals included in the circuit, but' by the time said circuit closer has reached the ends of the t'erf minal s.21, 22, the point 27v will havemoved so fa'r'out of line with the axislthatv the 11E 1.1; tension of slpring 25 will be sufiicientto provduce a quie break in the circuit'.v

TQ further'regulate the return movement -of the circuit clusers an air chamber may be arranged to be operated connection. with each of the levers 11 and 12, if desired. Each air chamber consists essentially of two tubes each closed at one end, one of which tele' The outertube 28 Kscopes within the other. ispivoted to swingon an axis 29 and is provided .with an air vent 30, While the inner tube 31 is 4rovided with an extension ear 32 through w ich passes the pivoting in 33,

'thus connecting saidginner tube with t e outwardly extendlngend of the knee lever 12.

t ese knee' levers at'27," and'at' it'sother-end tothe fixed point 26--in' At 34 v isa slot through the wall of the tube 31, 'saidslot being soA located as to pass' over the vent'SO, during the movement of said inner tube. An' openspiral s ring 435 extends 'I nearly theentiredistance etween the heads ef'the air chambers when said air chambers are fullyextended, as 'shown in dotted line at the' left of Fi'g.- 1 At 36 is an'electro-inagnet rigidly :supporte-d between the standardsl -8. Opposite Athe lower pole of this magmoulltedin the upper end of the actuating.

'lever 2, or the ent-1re lever may be made ol magnetic materialif preferred.

On the underside ofthe base l, 'andnear lts'ends are twopairs ofjears 37, between veach pair -L'offwhichv pivoted an inertia bumper '38, onan axis' 39. Suitable extenf sions forming stop iianges 40 and 41 are provided to limitboththeupward and downward moticnfof .these bumpers, and retain them in proper'position to'eflectively receive -and'abso'rb the' blow from vthe actuating le;

ver andadownwardly extending linger 42 is also' providedt hook and lock beneath the vactuating lever as it is` forced Yrapidlyto one side and effectively prevent a quick reboundofthesa'me.

- The operationof the device may be more fully described as follows: When the lever 2 is movedftoone'side, as shown in Fig. f1, the roller 7 acting on pendant 14 forces the lever 12 upward and thus throws. the circuit closer 18`betwe'eh the spring terminals -21 and 22, thereby closing one of fthe signal circuits.

Thismovementfcarries the'point-27 farther away from the point 26, 'thus increasing the tension of the spiral-,spring 25,f and at the same time forces Athe inner tube 31 'within its outer 'tube.28, and compresses the spiral spring 35. 4Both spiral springs. 25` and 35 willv now act` to restore the circuitcloser' to normal, the former acting slowly at first, vbut `net is anarmature' 37 a. which is securely both of said springs will modiiied and' controlled in 'their restoring action by the inner tube 31, which will move back without any checking effect untilthe upper edge 'of the slot 34' has reached the lower edge of the vent 130, when all the mechanism connected with thecircuit closer will be retarded until the ulpper end of theinner tube comes opposite t e vent 3Q. From this po'int all the parts will move freely to norma and as the movement of the inner tube is timed to reach this oint at the same time that the circuit closer liaaves the circuit terminals,` quick breakin the circuit is doubly assured.

It will now be noted that the time of contact is 'practically limited to` the time .required for the tube 31 to move back over the distance betwee'nthe top of said tube and the upperedge of the slot in its wall, and this distance may be readily .changed to meet varying requirements. This construction thus vaiords a two-fold control over the time of contact and insures aquick break in the cir-4 cuit without the use. of unreliablevalves.

. Tlie'wiuding'ofi magnet 36 connected oir one side tothe trolleywire through the base" line 43, andontheotlierside to bdtlrtermi- 1 which connection is' illustrated in Fig. 'by.

nais 2 0 'and 21 `so thatsaid magnet winding is included in either of; the circuits closed by .the movement of the lever 2, hence'wlien said,v le-ver swings back to tlievertial position :if-

terlbeing .operated byf the trolleyr wheell the4 armature 37-*wil'l be attracted' by the pole'oiA niagnet'36-and said lever will be prevented from furthermovement in either direction 'untilathe controlling mechanism has returned to break the circuit as previously explained,

Themain' reliance, however, for'the preven- -tio'n .of drangement of the lsignaling.system lbecause' otireboundwhen' cars operate the actuating leverfat' rates ofspeed', is the matelyeequa-. to that 'o-thezsaid lever, and which is arranged to yield vand has a limited i upwardl motion .on itsaxis 39. When `the Yactuating. lever. isfthro'wn violen'tlv'to one.

sideby the blow trema-rapidly moving trolley'wheelits mot-ion will be absorbed or'takeu upi b the bumper 3S in'acordance'with the' #veil own lawsof'moinentur'msothat after striking-the bumper said'lever will dro i back by gravityto its normal position, w 1ere it vll be'checked from further motion by magnet 36 as above described. It will be further 'noted that. when thel stop bumper 38 is thrown upward by'the blow from lever 2 the forward'portion of the curved iinger 42. will ',be carried under the crotch of the'said lever *preventing the same from being suddenly thrown back byelastic reaction upon striking-the bumper. .Having thus described my invention, what ltfclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters absorbing the exc-ess momentum of said lever at the .endi'of its effective sti-oke.

A circuit controller conrrising an acA ltuating lever, a-ciruit termina an insulated circuit closer, means whereby the movement of said lever will cause said closer to engage said terminal and complete a circuit, and yielding means for absorbing .the excess momentum of said lever atthe end of its effec-tive stroke.

3.- A circuit controller comprising an actuating lever, a circuit terminal, an insulated circuit closer, means whereby the movement of said lever causes said closer to engage said terminal and complete a circuit, means adapted to yield when said lever is thrown violently against the same, and means on said yieldii'ig means for engaging said lever to prevent'a rebound of the same..

` 4- A circuit controller comprising an actuating lever, a circuit terminal on either sideot saidjleveijlan ii'isulated 'circuitcloser for eaclrt'erminal, means whereby a movelment of vsaid lever will cause.- one of said closers to engage its terminal andcoinplete a circuit, and means *for absorbing the excess 'effective stroke when thrown in either direction.

` 5. .In a circuit con1oller, an actuating lever,-` anl insulated circuit closer# operated through the movement of said lever, an inertia bumper arranged to yield and absorb by the. same whereby rebound is prevented.

.6. A circuit controller lcom rising-an .actuating-lever, a-circuit'termina an insulated circuit closer', means whereby said closer is moved by said lever to en agefsaid'terminal 'to com lete the circuit, and electromagnetic means or positioning said'lev'er. 1 l '.;-ln acircuitcontroller, an actuatin lever, an'insulated circuit'closer Voperate to COmPIete the circuit through the movemen of said lever, and electro-mangetio.means fo: vpreventingfsaid lever from swinging pastj the vertical -on 4its return from its operative movement. I

8. A`circuit controller comprising an ace tuatinglever," a. Vcircuit terminal, an insulated' 'circuit closer, means .whereby the movement of said lever will cause said closer to' engagesaid terminal and complete a circuit, meansV or absorbing the momentum of said luer a d electro-magnetic means for arresting thejreturn motion of said lever in its norma-l osition.

9. In a circuit controller, an actuating lever, an insulated circuit closer operated through the movement' of said lever, airinertia bumper arranged to absorb the motion of said lever when struck by the saine, and electro-magnetic means for preventing said lever from swinging past .the vertical on its return fromits operative movement.

10. In a circuitcont-roller, -an' actuating lever, twoinsulated circuit closers adapted to be o. erated independently by the movemento' said lever, inertia bumpers arranged one on either side ot said lever to absorb the 'eicess motion of the same, whereby rebound 'is prevented.

11. In a circuit controller, an actuating lever, two insulated circuit closers adapted to be operated independently by the movement of said lever, one or more inertia bumpers arranged on either side ot' said lever to absorb the motion of the same, and electro-magnetic means whereby said .lever may be prevented from swinging past the vertical on its return from its operative movement in either direction.

momentum `of said lever at the' end 'of itsv 'the excess motion -ot said le\"erwhcn struck BEST AVAILABLE COPY a scossa A circuit controller, comprising' an actuating lever, an insulated circuit closer .10perated by the movement of said lever, a

,-yieldable bumper, andnieans on said .bumper adapted toengage said actuatinglever and preventa re-bound of the same.

'1 3.' Ina circuit controller, .an actuating lever, anv insulated circuit closer operated by the movement of saidj lever, 'an inertia bumper, a curved inger on the 'underside of s'aid umper adapted to be moved under the crotch of'said actuatinglever whenever the said inertia bumper is t own u ward by a 'blow from said lever, w ereby t iequicl; re-

turn motion of said actuating lever fwill be arrested.- y .i

14. A circuit controller com rising an actuating lever, a circuit ,terminalian insulated circuit closer, means'whereby the movement of said lever will cause said closer to engage said terminal and complete a circuit,a time regulator for controlling the durationof con tact, means for absorbing the'momentum of` said lever and electro-magnetic means to act on said lever to prevent the same from swingingeback past lts normal osition.

I5. -In a circuit contro er, an actuating le- .ver having two symmetrically disposed load arms, two insulated circuit closersada ted to be operated independently by the said load arms, two inertiabumpers arrangedone on either side to absorb the motion of the said lever when struck by the same whereby rebound is prevented. Y l

16. In a circuit controller, an actuating le.- ver, an insulated circuit' closer, a restoring spring for said circuit closer, said restoring spring being attached at one end to a fixed point and at the other end to a point n1ovable .to a position on the opposite side of the axis ofthe circuit closer from the said fixed point, and means for producing a bend in the said restoring spring to prevent action on a dead-center.

17. In a circuit controller,4 an actuating le ver having oppositely 'disposed load-arms', an insulated circuit closer'axially mounted'and operatively related to each of said load-arms, a restoring spring for each of said circuit -closers, said restoring' spring being attached tomatic means for causing a bendin the n' restoring spring -vvhereby action on a L. 'center is prevented.

' 18. In a circuit controller, an actuat ver having two oppositely dis osed i. arms, a pivotally vhung air-cham er ada; to be o erated by each of said loadvarms, an insu ated circuit closer regulated init. turn :movementV by the action of each of ses-d air-chambers.

19. In a circuit controller, an actuating ver having two, oppositely disposed A loadarms carrying pivoted rollers in each, a piv-l otally hun air chamber ada ted to be o erated direct y byeach of sai rollers, 4an an insulated circuit closer regulatedin its return 7o. movement by the action of each of said air-V chambers.

2 0. In a circuit controllen; an actuating lever having two oppositely disposed loadarms, 'two insulated circuit closers, a time 75 lregulator for each of said circuit-closers, and.

means for independently operating said time regulators directly by the said load-arms.

21. In a circuit controller, an actuating lever .having oppositely disposed load-arms '80 each carrying a pivoted roller, twov pivotally hung outer tubes having a vent hole in each, an inner tube telescoping within each outer tube,*each inner tube having a slot so laced that it will pass over the vent hole 1n the 85 outer tube during its movement Within said outer tube, each inner tube being also operated directly byone of said rollers, and an insulated circuit closer regulated in its return motion by the movement oi? each inner tube.

22. In a circuit controller, an actuating lever, an insulated circuit closer adapted to be operated byl said lever, two restoring springs acting on said circuit closer at substantially right angles to-each other, oneof said springs acting effectively to move said circuit closer during the first part ofits return movement, and the other of said springs acting effec-b ively to move said circuit closer during the last part of its return movement, whereby a loo comparatively Slow and uniform return movement is produced.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER BEVA'N.

Witnesses HOWARD E. BARLOW, E. I. 'OGnnN 

